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Environmental protection and cultural heritage

 

RESEARCH FIELD

Physical chemistry in environmental protection and physical chemistry in archaeometry

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Research in the field of physical chemistry in environmental protection at the former Faculty of Science and Mathematics and nowadays Faculty of Physical Chemistry, have a long tradition that we are very proud of and that we are trying to carry on and improve. Our research is directed towards analysis of pollutants in air, water and soil, and foremost to improvement of existing and development of new physicochemical methods for analysis of pollutants. Due to acquired knowledge and experimental facilities, we are now also able to study material cultural heritage.

Our group is intensively involved in purification of wastewaters polluted with inorganic and organic matter, which is one of the great challenges of the modern world. One approach we are pursuing is degradation of pollutants in aqueous solutions upon simulated solar irradiation in the presence of materials which accelerate that process, i.e. photocatalytic treatment of wastewaters. Our research is partially directed towards synthesis of novel materials based on natural and synthetic zeolites. Also, the photocatalytic efficiency of prepared materials for the removal of pesticides, bisphenol A and pharmaceutically active substance, e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen, atenolol, acetyl-salicylic acid, from aqueous solution, as well as the removal of mixture of pollutants from industrial wastewaters. The removal of pollutants from air is also the subject of our investigations.

Physicochemical methods can be successfully applied in the preservation of cultural heritage. The aim of archaeologists is to reconstruct and understand the way people lived in the past and how they interacted with their natural and social environment. Artefacts produced at high temperatures (during firing) provide information about manufacturing techniques and are excellent markers of society development. The application of scientific methods to determine the chemical and structural features of ceramic body and decorations allows the determination of production technology, the identification of particular workshops where objects were made, as well as the level of knowledge and trade routes in certain epochs. Additionally, knowledge of composition and structure of the ceramic object is of outmost importance for solving problems related to restauration, conservation, dating and the authenticity of artefacts. Nowadays, the analysis of art objects requires a multidisciplinary approach – experts from the social and natural sciences work together and contribute to a better understanding of the past as well as to the promotion of our exceptional cultural heritage.

FIGURE 1. Laboratory work within the research group “Environmental Protection and Cultural Heritage”.

RESEARCH GROUP MEMBERS

  • Dr. Ljubiša Ignjatović, Professor,
    https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=35618765700
  • Dr. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić,  Professor,
    https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=22733880100
  • M.Sc. Srna Stojanović, assistant,
    https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57205554677
  • M.Sc. Katarina Rondović, assistant,
    https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=59145669800

СЛИКА 2. ЗАЈЕДНИЧКА ФОТОГРАФИЈА СВИХ/НЕКИХ ЧЛАНОВА ГРУПЕ

AVAILABLE RESEARCH EQUIPMENT

Liquid chromatography:

  • High pressure liquid chromatography system (HPLC) equipped with the UV–Vis and electrochemical detector, Metrohm/Bischoff
  • Ion Chromatograph for analysis of anions and cations, Metrohm 761 Compact IC
  • Karl-Fischer conductometric aquametric analyzer, Metrohm 831 KF Coulometer

Potentiostats/galvanostats:

  • PAR 173A –Princeton Applied Research

Thermal analysis:

  • TG/DSC 111 Setaram

FIGURE 3. High pressure liquid chromatography system (HPLC), Ion Chromatograph and TG/DSC (from left to right.)

SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION AND PROJECTS

Collaboration with scientific institutions within the country

  • University of Belgrade – Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia
  • University of Belgrade – Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinča”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia
  • University of Belgrade – Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy
  • University of Belgrade – Faculty of Mining and Geology
  • Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade
  • National Museum in Belgrade

International collaboration

  • Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Analytical Chemistry, UNESCO laboratory for environmental electrochemistry, Czech Republic
  • Department of Chemistry, Durham University, UK
  • Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l’environnement de Lyon (IRCELYON), Villeurbanne, France

Ongoing projects

  • “7309-Functionalized PEO coatings with immobilized zeolites for photocatalytic applications – ZEOCOAT”, Program Prisma, Science Fund the Republic of Serbia, December 1st 2023 – November 30th 2026, participants: prof. Ljubiša Ignjatović, prof. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić and assistant Srna Stojanović, http://zeocoat.rs/
  • “EU-SEE forum for intercultural exchange on Sustainable Management of Cultural Heritage – SMACH forum”. (Ref. No. 304.4.2023.051), CEI Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP), April 1st 2024 – October 31st 2025, Coordinator of University of Belgrade prof. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić, https://www.univiu.org/focus-areas/environmental-management-and-security/smach-project-sustainable-management-cultural-heritage

Selected previous projects

  • “Application of improved oxidation processes and nanostructured oxide materials for the removal of pollutants from the environment, development and optimization of instrumental techniques for efficiency monitoring”, MSTD Republic of Serbia, 2011-2020, participant prof. Ljubiša Ignjatović.
  • “Simultaneous abatement of CO and NOx at low temperature from the flue gas of coke oven”, Chinese-Serbian development and research project, July 1st 2021- June 30th 2024, participants prof. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić and assistant Srna Stojanović.
  • “Oxide-based environmentally-friendly porous materials for genotoxic substances removal”, 172018, MSTD Republic of Serbia, 2011-2020, participant prof. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić.
  • “Urbanization and development processes of medieval society “, 177021, MSTD Republic of Serbia, 2011-2020, participant prof. Ljiljana Damjanović-Vasilić.

PUBLICATIONS

Selected papers in international scientific journals

  • Ž.N. Todorović, J.M. Radulović, I.D. Sredović Ignjatović, Lj.M. Ignjatović, A.E. Onjia, Ambient air particles: the use of ion chromatography and multivariate techniques in analysis of water-soluble ions, J. Serb. Chem. Soc., 86(7-8) (2021) 753-766. S151-S155. https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC200826077T
  • L. Slavković-Beškoski, Lj. Ignjatović, G. Bolognesi, D. Maksin, A. Savić, G.T. Vladisavljević, A. Onjia, Dispersive solid-liquid microextraction based on the poly(HDDA)/graphene sorbent followed by ICP-MS for the determination of rare earth elements in coal fly ash leachate, Metals, 12 (2022) 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/met12050791
  • L. Slavković-Beškoski, Lj. Ignjatović, M. Ćujić, J. Vesković, K. Trivunac, J. Stojaković, A. Perić-Grujić, A. Onjia, Ecological and Health Risks Attributed to Rare Earth Elements in Coal Fly Ash, Toxics, 12 (2024) 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010071
  • M.N. Todorović, M.B. Radenković, S.F. Rajšić, Lj.M. Ignjatović, Evaluation of mortality attributed to air pollution in the three most populated cities in Serbia, Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol., 16 (2019) 7059 – 7070. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-019-02384-6
  • S. Stojanović, V. Rac, K. Mojsilović, R. Vasilić, S. Marković, Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous solution using TiO2/clinoptilolite hybrid photocatalyst, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 30 (2023) 84046 – 84060. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28397-w
  • S. Stojanović, M. Vranješ, Z. Šaponjić, V. Rac, V. Rakić, Lj. Ignjatović, Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, Photocatalytic performance of TiO2/zeolites under simulated solar light for removal of atenolol from aqueous solution, Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol., 20 (2023) 5207 – 5222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04305-6
  • K. Mojsilović, N. Božović, S. Stojanović, Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, M. Serdechnova, C. Blawert, M.L. Zheludkevichd, S. Stojadinović, R. Vasilić, Zeolite-containing photocatalysts immobilized on aluminum support by plasma electrolytic oxidation, Surf.  Interfac., 26 (2021) 101307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2021.101307
  • M. Kuzmanović, A. Stancalie, D. Ranković, A. Staicu, Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, J. Savović, Analysis of lead-based archaeological pottery glazes by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, Opt. Laser Technol., 134 (2021) 106599.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2020.106599
  • Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, V. Bikić, S. Stojanović. D. Bajuk-Bogdanović, Đ. Džodan, S. Mentus, Application of analytical techniques for unveiling the glazing technology of medieval pottery from the Belgrade Fortress, J. Serb. Chem. Soc., 85(10) (2020) 1329 – 1343   https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC200401036D
  • S. Stojanović, V. Bikić, Lj. Miličić, I. Radosavljević Evans, N.V.Y. Scarlett, H.E.A. Brand, Lj. Damjanović-Vasilić, Evidence of continuous pottery production during the late Byzantine period in the Studenica Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Microchem. J., 146 (2019) 557 – 567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2019.01.056
 
 
 
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